Ho Ho Hum - Gifters and Re-Gifters unite

[PrincessInOz]

I finished my list for all the naughty and nice today.

And then I pulled out all the items from my presents cupboard....you know....the one you have for anything you buy but don't want to tell your partner/DH/DW/spouse/SO. I seem to find that if I leave the item in that cupboard that when I go back to looking at it again, I still like it....but not enough to want to keep it anymore. So, it's all good.

Over the years, its also become the cupboard where I put gifts that I've received but somehow...the gift has not felt like it belonged to me.

Today, I realised that I wasn't as organised as I thought I was. Roughly 30% of the items in that cupboard were gifts that did not feel like they belonged to me.

Problem is....I don't remember who gave me what. What a problem! What a problem!


So, it's been the luck of the draw. I've drawn names out of the hat as I've reached for an item.

I sure hope that if there are gifts that are going back home that the original gifters are as DISorganised as me!!!


(For the record, there were enough items to go round with some spare. Now there is space, time for me to go shopping again.)



Anyone else do the same???

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Hmmm, I'm not so much for the "regifting" but I definitely have a present cupboard that I squirrel away stuff into for when it's needed.

Here's hoping you don't regift to the same person and that you can now sit back and relax without the pre Christmas stress.

 

[5ofus]

I've regifted a few things, mostly toys when the boys were really little and they got doubles. I buy things throughout the year and put them away. I just went through everything I've got and I am just about done with my Christmas shopping. Thank goodness too because we went to the shopping centre for Santa photos today (complete failure) and I was packed!

 

[battymum]

This is why I don't especiallly like giving or receiving gifts! I think it's ridiculous we all stress about buying people stuff they don't want!

 

[aussietravellers]

I have to admit I haven't regifted before, except once when my DS got the same gift one year when he had like 40 kids to his party.

I don't usually regift, because if I don't like it myself, I can't bring myself to give it to someone else. I don't want someone else to think that I chose that gift when it isn't my taste

So I usually give the gifts I that I'm not really fond of to charity.

My brother is hopeless with gifts, so I just tell him what to get. Like today I was walking to breakfast and he drove past so stopped. He said he was going out to get my birthday present (which was ages ago but he's been away). I just said "Country Road voucher thanks". He said "cool, will do"

 

[PrincessInOz]

This is why I don't especiallly like giving or receiving gifts! I think it's ridiculous we all stress about buying people stuff they don't want!

I've long given up on stressing about buying people stuff they don't want.

These days, I buy what I like and then at the giving time, give what I like. Seems to be much less stress for me. I cannot, of course, speak for the giftee.

Afterall, what I don't know about a re-giftee/gifter won't hurt me (unless it comes back my way! But then, if it does, it's something that I like anyway...so it all works out! ).

 

[battymum]

We only buy for our kids and our parents.

 

[PrincessInOz]

We only buy for our kids and our parents.

Sadly, I have to add two aunts and uncles; one cousin, and DS' teachers to the mix. And another child that comes down from Sydney every year. Her parents are practically family to us.

 

[Marlea98]

We only buy for our kids and our parents.

Yep we only buy for our kids and one niece. Except hubby came home from a work trip away and bought me a Christmas present so now I have to find him something We rarely ever buy for each other but buy whatever we need and claim it as being from them; like my Sleeiping Beauty Peter Alexander bag. Hubby is so hard to buy for...

 

[areweindisneyyet]

I have instigated a big cull of presents this year after DD1s birthday this year.

Feels so good, we are Christmas shopping in a couple of weeks when DH has his work Christmas function, we can shop until he is ready to leave.

Getting unwanted gifts, as a child my aunt gave me the same present two years in a row for Christmas. She asked if I liked it and as a bratty 10 year old told her it would be a perfect match for the one she gave me last year. My mother looked horrified and my pa nearly peed his pants. She exclaimed I did not and I went and got it off my shelf. red and purple porcelain jesters. Just what every 10 year old girl needs two of

Woman still can't spell my name, that was the last present I got from her. Oh well

 

[australiankaren]

i used to spend 1000's on gifts for family, friends etc.......this year the imediate family will be lucky to get a chocolate stocking as we spent heaps on clothes for them in the usa in sept......

maybe i'm just becoming a scrooge......

 

[battymum]

I love Christmas, but seriously, who has ever gotten gifts that they like!! Then we are all complaining about the crap we have in our cupboards.

Its just a con by retailers.

I give the gift of my company to my family!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Woman still can't spell my name, that was the last present I got from her. Oh well

Oh Wow! Hasn't she even even learnt to abbreviate your name to AWIDY???

 

[PrincessInOz]

I love Christmas, but seriously, who has ever gotten gifts that they like!! Then we are all complaining about the crap we have in our cupboards.

Its just a con by retailers.

I give the gift of my company to my family!!

I only really worry about my nephews and nieces....and lately, its been gift cards. This year, I'm going with the straight cash in hand; although, I am putting the cash into media cases that I picked up on sale earlier in the year.

The rest...they just get whatever I have in the presents cupboard.

 

[BecBennett]

I love Christmas, but seriously, who has ever gotten gifts that they like!! Then we are all complaining about the crap we have in our cupboards.

Its just a con by retailers.

I give the gift of my company to my family!!

When my DH puts effort in I really love the gifts he gets me. I can tell when he hasn't put any effort in because it will be something from his mum's gift cupboard

Last year he did really really good, I hope he puts effort in again this year

We get lists off everyone in the family, so we know we're buying something that they want. The worst one to buy for is my dad, because he puts out his list on Christmas Day, as in he'll be sitting with all the gifts we've bought him, and out of the blue he'll say something like "I wanted the such and such dvd..." Every year, it has become a bit of a joke...

I might start re-gifting this year... I've only ever done it when someone has given me a box of chocolates, and then I realise I haven't gotten a gift for an unexpected guest or something, but I don't need any more knick knacks, so I might put them aside for next year!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Oh Wow! Hasn't she even even learnt to abbreviate your name to AWIDY???

No, even my husband only uses my first initial.

 

[Andona]

To be honest, gift choosing and giving is a big deal in my immediate family.

Dh and I and the kids all get a lot of pleasure out of finding just the right gift and we get such a charge from seeing how happy the giftee is when they open it - often we work from wish lists but we always try to come up with something a little unexpected that we know they will love. It's fun!

I must admiit that it sometimes takes a while agonising over the right choice and I certainly wish I could be more laid back about the more extended family, but its a habit I can't break. I'm sure I spend more time thinking about my brother's family presents than they think about ours!

I've received some dud gifts myself over the years ( from extended family ) but they usually just sit in a cupboard for a few years before i finally donate them to the bin I have re-gifted chocolates and food presents though.

Andona

 

[ky71]

I love gift giving!

I openly hate shopping except for gifts. I love to browse on our travels for that perfect thing that won't be found in Australia (nor will the recipient get two of...)

As for re-gifting I must confess - I do! Usually the items go to the Christmas Wishing Tree or the church appeal but only if I'm sure the original gifter will not be visiting over christmas-lol.

I've copped some crappy gifts over the years from close family but I don't give hints (but in case my DH is reading - I'd love some more gold Pandora charms please) so I have to expect just about anything.

Christmas for us is more about family than gifts so we would rather our relatives spent their cash on plane flights than presents.

 

[LizfromOz]

I have instigated a big cull of presents this year after DD1s birthday this year.

Feels so good, we are Christmas shopping in a couple of weeks when DH has his work Christmas function, we can shop until he is ready to leave.

Getting unwanted gifts, as a child my aunt gave me the same present two years in a row for Christmas. She asked if I liked it and as a bratty 10 year old told her it would be a perfect match for the one she gave me last year. My mother looked horrified and my pa nearly peed his pants. She exclaimed I did not and I went and got it off my shelf. red and purple porcelain jesters. Just what every 10 year old girl needs two of

Woman still can't spell my name, that was the last present I got from her. Oh well

Hehe, reminds of the gift my grandmother gave me for Christmas when I was 13 years old - a plastic Pound Puppy handbag. That would have made me sooo popular amongst the mean girls at my school.

 

[Marlea98]

I remember Pound Puppies! I always wanted one but all my parents could afford to buy me was one of those fake ones from the Reject Shop or whatever was around back then